the issue that we need to cut spending and that we shouldn't just keep raising the debt ceiling. so those are the dynamics going into that fight. add into that that speaker boehner is in a somewhat weakened position coming out of a tighter than expected fight for him to be reelected speaker. he will be speaker again but had to overcome some dissension in his own ranks to get in that position. and it's not just the debt ceiling fight. rolled into that was the sequester, which was pushed back only two months as part of the fiscal cliff deal, and we have part of a government funding bill that's going to expire in march. we have a lot rolled into one fight here. >> we do, and we have another issue that we've got to keep our eyes on because, at the same time, david, "the washington post" has this article about the white house weighing a broad gun control agenda in the wake of the newtown shootings. vice president biden's task force reportedly considering these measures. it requires a universal background check for firearm buyers, tracking the movement and sale of weapons through a nat